Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has officially appointed Anant Ambani as a Whole-Time Director on the company’s board. The appointment, approved during a board meeting on April 25, 2025, marks a significant leadership development within the conglomerate. Anant will begin his five-year term as Executive Director starting May 1, 2025.
In its regulatory filing, Reliance stated, “The Board of Directors of the Company, on the recommendation of the Human Resources, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, has appointed Shri Anant M. Ambani (DIN: 07945702), a Non-Executive Director of the Company, as Whole-Time Director designated as Executive Director.”
Previous Roles and Business Exposure
Prior to this elevation, Anant Ambani served as a Non-Executive Director at Reliance Industries and has held key positions across various group companies including Jio Platforms, Reliance Retail Ventures, Reliance New Energy, and Reliance New Solar Energy. He has also been on the board of Reliance Foundation since September 2022 and is notably involved with Vantara, a global-scale animal rescue and rehabilitation initiative.
Anant’s appointment complements the roles of his siblings within the conglomerate. Akash Ambani is the Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, and Isha Ambani serves as an Executive Director at Reliance Retail Ventures. Both are also Non-Executive Directors on the Reliance Industries Board.
Mixed Reactions from Proxy Advisory Firms
In 2023, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) had advised shareholders to vote against Anant’s board appointment, citing his relatively limited leadership experience of six years. However, another international proxy firm, Glass Lewis, supported his inclusion, stating that Anant had comparable professional experience to his siblings and should not be singled out.
The latest appointment underscores Reliance’s ongoing succession planning and consolidation of the next generation of leadership within the Ambani family.
